260 INTRODUCTION TO CONCHOLOGY. 



are objects of no small interest to their parents ; that those 

 who are of fall age range amid coral groves,, and beneath 

 clusters of beautiful sea-weeds, that heave and sparkle in 

 their watery growing-places ; and that perchance many an 

 aged mollusk looks placidly from out his quiet cell on the 

 active movements of his younger brethren. It may be that, 

 as dumb people converse together with their fingers, and 

 ants communicate their hopes or fears by tapping one 

 another with their antennae, the creatures of which we speak 

 hold converse with their friends by the same means. 



The shell of the Lima is uniformly white, covered with a 

 brown horny epidermis. The valves are mostly disposed in 

 ribs, diverging in symmetrical order from the umboes to 

 the margin, and are generally more or less imbricated exter- 

 nally. It may further be described as longitudinal, nearly 

 equivalve, auriculated, and gaping on one side. 



A beautiful coral nest is formed by the indwelling mollusk 

 for his own residence. And why is this ? Because he is 

 only partially protected by his elegantly-constructed shell, a 

 considerable portion, and that unquestionably the most 

 delicate and highly embellished, being left exposed. The 

 defenceless Zima is, therefore, endowed with multifarious 

 talents whereby to form his nest, and these he successfully 



